Originally posted by SiruKaiWhat are the differences, pros and cons, and overall which is better? In your opinions?
EQ2 - Pro's Good community of players.
Many varied and different classes IMHO that stick out.
Tons of good content for every level. Kick arse guild support built into the game and in their EQ2players website.
Good crafting system ( not the best but still good )
Nice graphics in certain areas and with certain gear.
Nice AA system to keep you playing along with faction rewards.
Player housing and Broker ( Auction ) system well setup.
Con's
Horrible performance and engine optimization and it lacks dual core support.
Horrible stagnate armor designs and models. I hope you like wearing the same robe/plate armor for the next 80 levels except with a occasional new skin slapped onto it.
Humanoid ( human and elves ) character faces look like clay/Mr. Potato head. Soga designs are better but if you don't like the anime look forget about it.
Zoning is way over done in older parts of the game world. The newer expansion areas have less zoning but the old world is zone-o-rific.
LOTRO - Pro's
Good community of players. Great character designs.
Humans look like humans and not like clay models.
Lot's of varied and different armor to choose from and wear.
Great graphics when everything is turned up to high or ultra high. It also sports a well optimized graphic engine that takes advantage of dual core CPU's.
Good story driven content and leveling system. Trait system is also good in that it keeps you playing to get new traits almost like the AA system.
A good Auction house system and now player/guild housing to boot !
The crafting is simple to get into but average IMHO.
Zoning is actually handled very well compared to EQ2. Most of the leveling zones are huge and you won't have to zone much at all when running around questing unlike EQ2.
Con's
A limit set of classes and most are melee oriented. No flashy caster for you!
End game content is not as fleshed out as EQ2's end game content.
IP is limited to LOTR lore based off the books only and not the movies. This might be a plus or minus depending on how you look at it.
You can't be evil! unless you are into the MPvP LOTRO supports. Even then the monsters you can be are limited.
Pros: very polished, nice graphics, nice free frequent content added, casual player friendly (partly, see below)
cons: rather "flat", the world is not interactive, not many classes, not many races, deadly booooring endgame; casual player unfriendly: many quest lines end with group quests, and it may be hard to find people willing to group up. Shallow and useless crafting system
EQ":
pros: 3 years' old game, full of contents, huge and lively word to explore, thousands of quests, you can either choose to solo all the way or to group up at leisure. Many classes, lots of different races. Very rich endgame, great economy, wonderful crafting system.
cons: despite being 3 years' old, still very demanding for your hardware. Expansions must be bought.
Played EQ2 for 1 year, gave it up to pass on to LOTRO, played it for 3 months, went back to Eq2.
I think that with the new kunark expansion, at the moment eq2 is by far the best fantasy MMORPG around.
Ive recently quit LOTRO for EQII , but EQII hasnt actually arrived in the post yet so i cant say much about EQII. But in terms of LOTRO:-
Pros: Great community , especially for RP.
Storyline and lore immerses you really well. Quests are well written too.
Graphics are spectacular in alot of places.
Lots to do for someone who enjoys crafting.
Monster play PVP is an innovative new type of PVP, great for people who like huge all out battles.
The epic storyline quests are brilliant , you just wish there wasnt 8 levels between each one.
Cons: Theres no real centers where lots of people gather to trade etc apart from the prancing pony which is primarily used for RP (although i havent been in there on a non-RP server so it might just be deserted)
You soon realise that hidden behind the well written quests , its just the same few quest types over and over again(with a few exceptions), and you then realise the game is an utter grindfest.
Crafting is completely pointless, there is no money to be made in it and you can get minted from just grinding.
After being amazed at the huge PVP battles, you soon realise its actually just turned into a PVP grindfest on the same part of the map all day , every day. PVP is also hugely biased towards players over monsters, in a 1v1 there is literally no chance a monster can ever win.
The combat is really boring and un-innovative. In solo (which is the vast majority of the time) , just keep pressing all different spells in no particular order and you will win.
Buffs, magical enhancements and traits are utterly pointless as they are all miniscule. +0.5% strength is no use at all.
Areas of the world are huge and beautiful but soon become very un-exciting as they are just mass grind zones full of the same monsters.
but now that i got that out of my system, LoTR could be cooler though be cause since its newer it may have more new players like yourself, plus it has more players overall i believe
Not really true. If you buy the latest expansion it comes with all of the previous ones and the base game so you can get it all with one box at regular price. LotRO will have expansions but no idea yet if they will all have to be bought seperatly.
Originally posted by Teiraa
Just two words: "Station Exchange" That's the reason why I play LotRo instead of EQ2.
Station Exchange is only on 2 servers (there are a total of 19 US servers and 6 international servers). Avoiding EQ2 for that reason is short sighted.
Just two words: "Station Exchange" That's the reason why I play LotRo instead of EQ2. Otherwise the games are pretty equal, LotRo has better graphics, EQ2 has more content (since it's older), but LotRo will close the gap over time.
Station Exchange is actually a really cool idea. It lets more casual players get all their raiding mats by selling off the work to all the people who have the time to do it and wouldnt mind a few extra bucks.
Those server has some of the best raiders.
But thats a topic for another post *drags the dead horse back out of the post*
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...
Before release , LOTRO said they planned to release later expanisions for the whole new big areas the size of eriador, or bigger (Gondor, Rohan etc), as retail expansions like everquest.
I play both and love them for different reasons. I like to explore mostly. I love LOTRO for exploring a world I've read about. I love EQ 2 for the ability to explore a completely new world (in comparison).
MMO games played or tested: EQ, DAoC, Archlord, Auto Assault, CoH, CoV, EQ2, EVE, Guild Wars, Hellgate: London, Linneage II, LOTRO, MxO, Planetside, SWG, Sword of the New World, Tabula Rasa, Vanguard, WWIIOL, WOW, Age of Conan
Lotro, is new and has more story driven quests will be around for very long time, since its prety sucsesfull , thay will add moria, rohan , lothlorien, Minas thirith and stuff, also has great music and gfx...
EQ2 is getting old, but therefor has more exspansion and more content , but to start this thing is kina late imo, lots of players are on the level cap alrady, and its getting a little bid blend, but the game overall is still prety ok, but a little outdated imo.
Playing:World of Warcraft. Played:Lord of the Rings Online, Starwars Galaxies. Tried:Starwars the Old Republic, Everquest 2, Guild Wars, Vanguard, Age of Conan, Aion.
Comments
EQ2 - Pro's
Good community of players.
Many varied and different classes IMHO that stick out.
Tons of good content for every level. Kick arse guild support built into the game and in their EQ2players website.
Good crafting system ( not the best but still good )
Nice graphics in certain areas and with certain gear.
Nice AA system to keep you playing along with faction rewards.
Player housing and Broker ( Auction ) system well setup.
Con's
Horrible performance and engine optimization and it lacks dual core support.
Horrible stagnate armor designs and models. I hope you like wearing the same robe/plate armor for the next 80 levels except with a occasional new skin slapped onto it.
Humanoid ( human and elves ) character faces look like clay/Mr. Potato head. Soga designs are better but if you don't like the anime look forget about it.
Zoning is way over done in older parts of the game world. The newer expansion areas have less zoning but the old world is zone-o-rific.
LOTRO - Pro's
Good community of players. Great character designs.
Humans look like humans and not like clay models.
Lot's of varied and different armor to choose from and wear.
Great graphics when everything is turned up to high or ultra high. It also sports a well optimized graphic engine that takes advantage of dual core CPU's.
Good story driven content and leveling system. Trait system is also good in that it keeps you playing to get new traits almost like the AA system.
A good Auction house system and now player/guild housing to boot !
The crafting is simple to get into but average IMHO.
Zoning is actually handled very well compared to EQ2. Most of the leveling zones are huge and you won't have to zone much at all when running around questing unlike EQ2.
Con's
A limit set of classes and most are melee oriented. No flashy caster for you!
End game content is not as fleshed out as EQ2's end game content.
IP is limited to LOTR lore based off the books only and not the movies. This might be a plus or minus depending on how you look at it.
You can't be evil!
unless you are into the MPvP LOTRO supports. Even then the monsters you can be are limited.
To be brief:
- LOTRO:
Pros: very polished, nice graphics, nice free frequent content added, casual player friendly (partly, see below)
cons: rather "flat", the world is not interactive, not many classes, not many races, deadly booooring endgame; casual player unfriendly: many quest lines end with group quests, and it may be hard to find people willing to group up. Shallow and useless crafting system
EQ":
pros: 3 years' old game, full of contents, huge and lively word to explore, thousands of quests, you can either choose to solo all the way or to group up at leisure. Many classes, lots of different races. Very rich endgame, great economy, wonderful crafting system.
cons: despite being 3 years' old, still very demanding for your hardware. Expansions must be bought.
Played EQ2 for 1 year, gave it up to pass on to LOTRO, played it for 3 months, went back to Eq2.
I think that with the new kunark expansion, at the moment eq2 is by far the best fantasy MMORPG around.
cheers
Ive recently quit LOTRO for EQII , but EQII hasnt actually arrived in the post yet so i cant say much about EQII. But in terms of LOTRO:-
Pros: Great community , especially for RP.
Storyline and lore immerses you really well. Quests are well written too.
Graphics are spectacular in alot of places.
Lots to do for someone who enjoys crafting.
Monster play PVP is an innovative new type of PVP, great for people who like huge all out battles.
The epic storyline quests are brilliant , you just wish there wasnt 8 levels between each one.
Cons: Theres no real centers where lots of people gather to trade etc apart from the prancing pony which is primarily used for RP (although i havent been in there on a non-RP server so it might just be deserted)
You soon realise that hidden behind the well written quests , its just the same few quest types over and over again(with a few exceptions), and you then realise the game is an utter grindfest.
Crafting is completely pointless, there is no money to be made in it and you can get minted from just grinding.
After being amazed at the huge PVP battles, you soon realise its actually just turned into a PVP grindfest on the same part of the map all day , every day. PVP is also hugely biased towards players over monsters, in a 1v1 there is literally no chance a monster can ever win.
The combat is really boring and un-innovative. In solo (which is the vast majority of the time) , just keep pressing all different spells in no particular order and you will win.
Buffs, magical enhancements and traits are utterly pointless as they are all miniscule. +0.5% strength is no use at all.
Areas of the world are huge and beautiful but soon become very un-exciting as they are just mass grind zones full of the same monsters.
EQ2 has more to offer at the moment. But LOTRO just came out, it has a lot to grow upon. So, EQ2 now, but in a year or so, I wager it will be LOTRO
Torrential
Torrential: DAOC (Pendragon)
Awned: World of Warcraft (Lothar)
Torren: Warhammer Online (Praag)
Just two words: "Station Exchange"
That's the reason why I play LotRo instead of EQ2.
Otherwise the games are pretty equal, LotRo has better graphics, EQ2 has more content (since it's older), but LotRo will close the gap over time.
AHHH more "Vs. threads"
but now that i got that out of my system, LoTR could be cooler though be cause since its newer it may have more new players like yourself, plus it has more players overall i believe
Station Exchange is only on 2 servers (there are a total of 19 US servers and 6 international servers). Avoiding EQ2 for that reason is short sighted.
Those server has some of the best raiders.
But thats a topic for another post
*drags the dead horse back out of the post*
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...
Before release , LOTRO said they planned to release later expanisions for the whole new big areas the size of eriador, or bigger (Gondor, Rohan etc), as retail expansions like everquest.
I play both and love them for different reasons. I like to explore mostly. I love LOTRO for exploring a world I've read about. I love EQ 2 for the ability to explore a completely new world (in comparison).
MMO games played or tested: EQ, DAoC, Archlord, Auto Assault, CoH, CoV, EQ2, EVE, Guild Wars, Hellgate: London, Linneage II, LOTRO, MxO, Planetside, SWG, Sword of the New World, Tabula Rasa, Vanguard, WWIIOL, WOW, Age of Conan
I havn't played EQ2 .. But.. LOTRO did seem to suck..
Alot.
Reminds me of every other mmo.
Website
Lotro, is new and has more story driven quests will be around for very long time, since its prety sucsesfull , thay will add moria, rohan , lothlorien, Minas thirith and stuff, also has great music and gfx...
EQ2 is getting old, but therefor has more exspansion and more content , but to start this thing is kina late imo, lots of players are on the level cap alrady, and its getting a little bid blend, but the game overall is still prety ok, but a little outdated imo.
Playing: World of Warcraft.
Played: Lord of the Rings Online, Starwars Galaxies.
Tried: Starwars the Old Republic, Everquest 2, Guild Wars, Vanguard, Age of Conan, Aion.